


And the Anger Burns

by Gadhar



Category: The Expendables (Movies)
Genre: M/M, Violence, cursing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-02
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-19 13:57:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2390834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gadhar/pseuds/Gadhar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barney’s giving him one of those warning looks, the ones that say <em>calm the fuck down or I will put your ass down.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	And the Anger Burns

**Author's Note:**

> Um...I've been working on this for a few days. Not this chapter but this as a whole and...*shrug* I don't know what this is. I'm trying something. Let's go with that.
> 
> Also, fair warning the f word appears in this fic. And I don't mean fuck because, well, if you've read any of my work you know I don't have an issue with the word fuck. Me and the word fuck are like best pals that go drinking together and fuck is usually carrying my drunk ass home (I don't actually drink). We're good friends. So I mean fags/faggots. It's not an extensive use (4 times max) but it is used in a derogatory sense (we're not talking about cigarettes here people) and I think some people don't like reading things with that language (I'm probably being overly worried because I saw an 'explosion' over this particular word today) so, just thought I'd put it out there. Rest assured it's not any of our boys saying it. Just some douchebag OCs I created as a plot device. Well, more like punching bags. *ahem*

“You just going to let them walk all over you like that?”

“Leave it alone, Lee.”

 _“Leave it alone?_ They just insulted you. For no _reason._ And you’re just going to let them walk away?”

“They’re ignorant morons. Not worth my time. No sense in getting all worked up.” 

Barney’s giving him one of those warning looks, the ones that say _calm the fuck down or I will put your ass down._ But even with those eyes on him, heavy in their weight and meaning and bearing down on his very skin, Lee can’t drop it. He just can’t.

Sometimes, some days, he just _hates_ the world. He hates the ignorance and the hatred and the lack of understanding, empathy or sympathy. He hates the _people._

It’s a blue collar diner they’re sitting in, off the main road through Nevada and usually these are the kind of places where people understand. Or at the very least they mind their own fucking business.

But it’s all been stares and glares as they walked through the streets, stirring up nothing but the dirt on the sidewalk and the hairs on the back of each other’s necks as they whispered the words of pointless conversation.

And it _bothers_ Lee.

Part of him wonders if this is a constant thing. If people are _always_ staring and he’s just been too oblivious to notice. And if that’s the case, _why_ hasn't he noticed?

Barney has this feel about him, between the lines around his mouth and the way his shoulders are slumped, that makes Lee think he _knew._ Like Lee’s only just now picking up on something Barney had known from the start.

And that makes him angrier.

“How can you just let them disrespect you? How can you just- _fuck it.”_ Lee stands and he’s out of the booth and around the table before Barney can even register what he’s doing and stop him.

_Not as fast as you think you are, old man._

He walks right over to the table of loud-mouthed delinquents. They’re all old punks, dumbasses still acting like they’re 20, never planning to grow up.

Lee stops at the head of the table and he can hear Barney, off to the side, cursing as he trips over something in haste. “Hey.”

“Oh, look. One of the fags come over. Guess they like you John.” One of them says, he reminds Lee of Dumbo, but with a smaller brain. He’s grinning across the table at ‘John’, the same fucker who was giving Barney shit earlier.

John looks bored as he gives Lee a once over. “What do you want fag?”

“You know, I was going to come over here and educate you nicely on the proper respect one should have for his fellow man. But now, since you've seen fit to bring my sexuality into it- something you have no business judging _anyway_ \- I think I’d rather do this in a less nice fashion.”

“You think you’re so hot because you use fancy words? Your mother teach you that?” 

Lee grins, feeling his nerves snap one by one the more these douchebags run their mouths. 

“Lee.” It’s a warning from the sidelines.

“Oh, my mother taught me _a lot_ of things.” Lee’s hand snaps out, grabbing Dumbo’s hand. “One of them was how to _break_ things.” He twists the wrist, snapping it with ease as Dumbo cries out. 

The other guys launch to their feet, nearly lunging over the table as they go after Lee. 

Lee lets go of Dumbo’s wrist turning towards John as he takes a step back. “But _your_ mom taught me the fancy words.” It’s a stupid insult. One that doesn't even make sense but John lunges over the table and Lee feels the guy’s fingers swipe his throat before-

_“Lee!”_

-he turns out of the way and punches John in the face.  
It’s chaos after that.

Someone jumps at his back and tries to choke him as Lee tries to shake him off, kicking the approaching moron in the hands as he waves a knife. Out of the corner of his eye, Lee sees Dumbo get up and make for the door before something snaps him back by the collar of his shirt.

Pain explodes over his eye and he stumbles back, reeling. When he looks up again it’s just in time to catch John’s fist and throw him at the knife-boy who’s just getting on his feet. When he turns there’s the monkey who jumped on his back running at him like a blind rhino.

Lee grabs the nearest stool and grins as it cracks over the monkey’s back. He goes down but the knife-boy has him from behind, John laying punches into his sides that Lee can barely feel. 

“You fuckers think you're tough! You have no clue what the word means.” He kicks John in the balls, sending him straight to his knees before `turning out of knife-boy’s grasp, grabbing his hoodie and throwing him into the nearest table. 

Then he goes after John, curled up on the ground, and just starts punching. 

“You fucking morons-” A punch to John’s eye.

“Think-” There goes the nose.

“You own this damn town-” Busted lip.

“With your pants around your knees-” Jaw cracks.

“And your pompous attitude. You’re ignorant little shits and you have no right trying to fuck with my friend. He’s not playing a _game._ You don’t know his story. He’s not playing dress-up as a hard-ass biker. There ain't nothing fake about him. Unlike you!”

Lee slams his fist into John’s face again and all he can see is blood. Blood on John’s face, on his own fist, on the ground around them. Red. Everywhere.

“He could end your life with a goddamn thumb!” Lee stops for a moment, grabs John by the shirt and shakes him until his eyes flicker back open. “But, you’re not worth his time. But you see, I ain't as good as him. You're plenty worth my time- _beating! The! SHIT! OUT! OF! YOU!”_

Something locks down around his throat and everything that was red starts prickling with black. There’s a rush of blood in his ears that has his words echoing around but they’re caught up in the wind. The rolling rush of wind that sucks all the other sounds away and steals his breath

Just as the black starts to fade it grows again, grows darker and deeper before blurring out into lines and shapes and he can hear Barney in his ear as the lock around his throat disappears. _“Outside. Now.”_

He’s shoved forward and Lee nearly doesn't see the door. But he makes it, slipping through as it’s pushed open by someone. There’s a hand pushing him on, shoving roughly at his shoulder every time he tries to stop and breathe. 

When he’s next to the truck, reaching for the door a hand grabs the side of his face and pushes him against the truck, pressing his face against the window so hard Lee can feel the pressure on his teeth.

It’s almost as painful as the anger, still firing him up and urging him on. A sick temptation that he won't unleash on Barney but he has to _move._

“What the fuck was that?” Barney nearly yells, and Lee can see him clearly- jaw clenched, eyes tight.

Lee tries to push against the hand, to get away but Barney’s always been strong, a master of leverage. He won't be able to move short of attacking Barney.

_“Well?”_

“Get off!” Lee shouts, jerking against Barney’s hand and aiming an elbow at Barney’s arm.

Barney recoils, moving out of the way of the aim at his joint and there’s a surprised look on his face that sickens Lee.

“Just- just get off. Leave me alone.”

“Lee-”

“No!” Lee flinches as Barney’s hand reaches toward him. He nearly falls over but keeps his footing, turning away and walking.

Barney calls out after him, voice full of confusion but Lee can’t talk now, he knows that. He needs space alone before he does something really stupid.

He’s walking away but in his mind he’s running.


End file.
